Antiquity | Relic Brewing Co.

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T: Initially, this old ale is a complex of what seems to make up its parts; sweet, roasted malts like a porter, fruity, plummy flavors of a barleywine and the tart, bitter acidity of the old ale come together with some alcohol heat. The more you sip, the more the molasses and baltic porter influence comes through. The acidic character and strong yeast fruitiness are persistent, lending a somewhat spicy and bracing finish.

M: Full bodied ale with lots of character, some malt and yeast to chew on with some tart acidity among the sweeter malts.

O: A very nice, complex sipping ale from Relic. This re-tooled version of Antiquity was reported to have more molasses added to it, and I think it shows in the finish and late tasting of the beer. I would certainly pick it up again to serve as a nightcap.

More User Reviews:

Served in a crystal snifter. Dark brown and opaque with a head that rises up a full inch high and slowly settles out to a half inch of beige thick foam that stays around for the duration. Carbonation bubbles rise up in streams from the bottom of the glass.

Low aroma of raisin and deeply toasted malt. Flavors of raisin, Cabernet, faint smoke, phenols, some yeasty notes. Not overly complex. Mouthfeel is a bit slick. This beer is just okay.

Poured into a nonic pint glass, the appearance was a soft brown/amber color with a creamy colored finger’s worth of semi-foamy head. Sly speckled lace. The aroma had a soft sweet blend of toffee, caramel, light cereal grains and a touch of nuttiness. Floral hops. Vanilla bean. And then a whiff of allspice. Light bread at the end. The flavor blended all of the previously mentioned aromas together soft and sweet adding just a touch of some dark fruits as it warms. All seems to blend gently on into the aftertaste and lead into the finish. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a fair sessionability about it. Good carbonation. ABV felt right. Overall, pretty nicely done old ale that I could have again.

Poured into a brandy snifter. Pours a nice coal black. Thin foamy head. Wasn't sure about the head almost a bit medicinal. Taste gave way to some coffee/toffee, plum and raisin. There is a bit of a bunt feeling to the flavors that is kind of nice. A bit of an astingent finish but over all a pleasing experience.

Out of the three Relic beers I have had recently, the best of the bunch. All of them are clearly infected, but the richness of the malt (and molasses?) masks the medicinal, plastic, sour qualities fairly well. In fact, I quite like the beer's initial dried fruit and dark caramel notes that fade into murky chocolate and raisin undertones. Unfortunately, the flavor continues to fade until only Band-Aids and spoiled Moxie remain, leaving a most unpleasant finish on the palate. With some better sanitation practices, this would be a really good beer. Even with its obvious problems, it's still pretty decent.

-Taste brings a complex pleasant roastiness with a chalky mouthfeel. Sour sharpness. Very drying, more than expected, and much more than is typical for the style. A long, dry hoppy finish.

-Overall I think I expected this one to be more on the sweet side with the Brewer's mention of molasses. Not your typical old ale, and I think I prefer more of the traditional without the strong hoppiness. However, the hops and dryness do balance the drink in this instance. Not bad though, and I did like it. Best served 45F-50F, as a colder liquid will inhibit its complexity.

A - Pours a very dark, almost black color with a thin head. Head recedes pretty quickly to form a ring.

S - Mostly malty with a hint of sweetness. Can smell a small bit of prune as a previous reviewer stated. Also get a bit of the alcohol smell that comes through. Nothing overpowering though.

T - A bit of a sweet taste. The malt taste shines throughout most of the drink and the slight hop flavor comes through at the end and balances everything out nicely.

O - This is the first beer of this style I have ever had, so I am not sure what they are "suppose to taste like". All I know is I will seek out more of this style when possible because it was very enjoyable.

Pouring a cellar temp bottle into my snifter. The beer gives a small gush of foam upon opening and pours a slightly cloudy mahogany color. I get a fizzy beige head of 3 cm that fades to a sturdy surface layer slowly throughout the sampling. Aroma is caramel and prunes with a bit of raisin and chocolate in the background.
My first sip reveals a nice smooth textured beer with fairly sharp carbonation. Flavor is similar to the nose but I get some red grape hits mixed in. I also get minor warm booze on the finish. No real hops that I find anywhere. A nice interesting beer, I would buy again and recommend. ONly dropped the appearance due to slight gusher on opening of bottle.

M: Medium body with low-ish carbonation. Warms up the palate with booze tones.

O: This is a really darn good beer from a one-man operation. Relic makes an excellent old ale with Antiquity, I just wish it was easier to get a hold of. This brew is worth seeking out if you are in CT.

A thick murky black brown color with a fair head that settles to a ring and little signs of lace. The aroma is beautifully varied with malt licorice and evergreen grape hints, definitely a medicinal idea here, chocolate Moxie! Wow. Love it. The flavor comes on with a skunk grass attack over the grape and malt tastes with more root and dank chocolate porter. Quite different and. Tastefully harsh with its earthy bite. It’s medium bodied with moderate carbonation and a slightly resinous, sticky feel. Quite an intriguing introduction to Relic. Very nice and hard to forget (in a good way).